Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Vermont House passes compromise cannabis bill

Vt. House gives marijuana bill a clear path to governor's desk - April McCullum, Burlington Free Press:

January 4, 2018 - "The Vermont House of Representatives has signed off on the marijuana legalization bill that was crafted as a compromise after Gov. Phil Scott's veto.

"The bill would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow their own plants at home. H. 511 would not create a legal market for marijuana in Vermont, nor would it impose any taxes.

"The Senate already passed a version of the bill last summer but will need to approve the House's decision to remove a study commission. After that final review, the bill will move to the governor's desk.

"Lawmakers spent hours Thursday debating the bill, which was widely expected to pass. Supporters staved off a series of attempts to slow the legislation and rejected several last-minute amendments that would have substantially changed the bill.

"House members first rejected a Republican-led effort to delay the vote until the governor's Marijuana Advisory Commission issues its next report on Jan. 15 about preventing youth drug use, detecting impaired drivers and other issues....  They later rejected amendments that would have delayed the effective date of legalization to July 1, 2019, or until Vermont State Police adopted a roadside test for impairment.

?'This is a thoughtful, incremental approach to marijuana legalization,' House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, said in a statement after the bill passed Thursday evening. /We're proud to be the first state in the nation to pass marijuana legalization without the pressure of a public referendum.'"

Read more: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/government/2018/01/04/vermont-house-vote-marijuana-legalization-thursday/1003206001/
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